Valve sack opener and carrier mechanism

ABSTRACT

A VALVE SACK OPENER AND CARRIER MECHANISM FOR OPENING THE VALVE OF THE SACK BY INJECTION OF A PRESSURIZED AIR STREAM, AND CARRYING THE SACK, WITH THE VALVE IN OPEN POSITION, TO THE SPOUT OF A FILLING MACHINE, COMPRISING A CARRIER HAVING A PAIR OF MEMBERS PIVOTALLY CONNECTED TO A MOVABLE SUPPORT, THE MEMBERS BEING PIVOTALLY MOVABLE TRANSVERSELY INTO SACK RECEIVING AND SUPPORTING POSITION AND INTO SACK FLAP ENGAGING POSITION FOR MAINTAINING THE VALVE IN OPEN POSITION DURING TRAVEL OF THE SACK TO THE SPOUT OF   A FILLING MACHINE. SWITCH MEANS ACTIVATED BY A SWITCH CONTACTING PAD ON THE CARRIER OPERATES AN AIR NOZZLE FOR INJECTION OF AIR INTO THE VALVED FLOP OF THE SACK DURING A PREDETERMINED PART OF THE TRAVEL OF THE CARRIER.

Feb. 16, 1971 L. D. ADCOX VALVE SACK OPENER AND CARRIER MECHANISM 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 23, 1969 FIG. I

FIG, 2

INVENTOR. L .D. Adcox ATTORNEY Feb. 16, 1971 D. ADCOX VALVE SACK OPENER AND CARRIER MECHANISM 2 Sheeias-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 23, 1969 INVENTOR. L. D. Adcox ATTORN Y United States Patent 3,562,996 VALVE SACK OPENER AND CARRIER MECHANISM L. D. Adcox, Monte Vista, Col0., assignor of one-half to John B. Milne, Monte Vista, Colo. Filed Jan. 23, 1969, Ser. No. 793,296 Int. Cl. B65b 43/36 US. Cl. 53-3 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A valve sack opener and carrier mechanism for opening the valve of the sack by injection of a pressurized air stream, and carrying the sack, with the valve in open position, to the spout of a filling machine, comprises a carrier having a pair of members pivotally connected to a movable support, the members being pivotally movable transversely into sack receiving and supporting position and into sack flap engaging position for maintaining the valve in open position during travel of the sack to the spout of a filling machine. Switch means activated by a switch contacting pad on the carrier operates an air nozzle for injection of air into the valved flop of the sack during a predetermined part of the travel of the carrier.

This invention relates to a valve sack opener and carrier mechanism which is part of a machine for applying valve sacks to the spout of a sack filling machine. The machine for applying valve sacks to the spout of a sack filling machine may be of the kind shown and described in my co-pending application, U.S. Ser. No. 774,926, filed Nov. 12, 1968, but the valve sack opener and carrier mechanism of this invention may also be embodied in other machines for applying valve sacks on filling machine spouts.

The main object of this invention is to provide simple and eificient means for opening the valves of valved sacks and carrying the sacks successively to the spout of a filling machine while maintaining the valve in open positions with a minimum amount of manipulation of the sacks to produce the desired result.

The initial opening of each valve is achieved by injecting a pressurized air stream into one end of the valved flap of a sack while the sack is being carried a predetermined distance, and the valve is maintained in open position by gentle pressure in horizontal directions by a pair of carrier members while the carrier and sack travel to the filling machine spout until the sack flap has been applied to the spout.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a valve sack opener and carrier mechanism embodying my invention, showing the carrier empty and in open position, in readiness to receive a valved sack.

FIG. 2 is a view similar to FIG. 1, showing the opener and carrier mechanism after it has moved rearwardly and the carrier has engaged the valved flap of a sack.

FIG. 3 is perspective view showing the valve sack opener and carrier following part of its forward travel where the air nozzel has been opened to inject a pressurized air stream into the sack valve and the carrier has been closed to engage the parallel longitudinal edges of the sack valve and maintain the latter in open position.

FIG. 4 shows the mechanism of FIG. 3 after it has been moved forwardly and has applied the valved flap of the sack on a filling machine spout.

FIG. 5 is a fragmentary plan view showing the carrier, switch pad and switch for actuating the air nozzle.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawings, the carrier mechanism comprises a support which is made to travel back and forth by any suitable means (not shown) associated with the horizontal rod 11. The support 10 has mounted therein a cross bar 12 extending transversely of the support, pivotally connected at opposite ends to pairs of links 13 which are pivotally connected to vertical bars 14 at opposite sides of the support 10. The lower ends of the bars 14 are connected pivotally to links 15 which are pivotally connected to brackets 16 fastened to opposite outer sides of carrier members 17. Each carrier member 17 consists of two fiat plates, 18 and 19, rigidly connected together and extending at approximately degrees from each other. The carrier blows into the right hand open end 32 of the valved flap 20 rigidly fastened to the carrier members 17 and pivotally connected at 21 to the support 10.

Mechanism 25 in the support 10 alternately raises and lowers the cross bar 12 to open and close the carrier members 17. When the mechanism 25 is in the raised position of FIGS. 1 and 2, the horizontal bar 12 and the vertical bars 14 are lifted and the carrier members 17 are moved about the pivots 21 relatively to the support 10, so that the plates 18 and 19 of the carriers 17 are in the open position. When the mechanism 25 is in the lowered position shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the bars 12 and 14 are lowered and the carrier members are moved toward each other about the pivots 21 relatively to the support 10, so that the plates 18 and 19 of the carriers 17 are in the closed position where they engage the edges of the valved flap 30 of the sack 31.

Extending forwardly and horizontally from the support 10 is a rod 35 which carries a compressed air tube 36 provided with an air nozzle 37 on its lower free end. The nozzle is located so that a compressed air jet is directed into the outer end 32 of the valved flap 30 of the sack 31.

The spout of a filling machine (not shown) is designated 40. The empty carrier and its actuating mechanism support 10 are moved on any suitable track means (not shown) in rearward direction toward a valved sack 31 which is supported in vertical position with its valved flap 30 in horizontal position. The carrier 17 receives the flap through the carrier end 22 and holds is loosely. Then the carrier and sack are moved forwardly, causing the switch pad 45 attached to the carrier to move past a switch 46 which controls the operation of the air nozzle 37. The air blows into the right hand open end 32 of the valved flap 30, through tube 36 and nozzle 37, during three inches of travel of the carrier when the pad 45 and switch 46 are in contact with each other. This opens the valved flap of the sack 31. In FIG. 5 the dotted line position of the pad 45 is the position at the beginning of the travel of the carrier and sack in forward direction, and the solid line position of the pad shows in at the end of period during which the air nozzle 37 is actuated. Thereafter the carrier and sack containue their travel in forward direction and during that period the carrier members 18, 19', are moved towar deach other to engage the parellel longitudinal edges of the flap 30 to gently press the same inwardly and hold the valve flap end 32 in the open position previously produced by the air jet.

After the valved flap has been placed on the spout 40 of a filing machine (not shown), the mechanism 25 is actuated to move the carrier members 17 away from each other and the carrier and actuating mechanism are moved in rearward direction to repeat the cycle of operations herein described.

I claim:

1. A valve sack opener and carrier mechanism comprising (a) support moved to and from a stationary filling spout,

(b) an air nozzle carried by and movable with the 3 support for conducting pressurized air into the valve flap of a sack to open the valve while the support is moving toward a filling spout,

(c) a carrier having a pair of members pivotally connected to the support and movable transversely to open and closed positions,

(d) means on the support moving the carrier members away from each other to sack receiving position,

(e) means activating the air nozzle to inject a stream of pressurized air into the valved flap of a sack in the carrier to open the valve, and

(f) means on the support for moving the carrier members into flap engaging position to maintain the opened valve in open position during movement of the support and carrier to place the valve flap on the spout of a filling machine.

2. The valve sack opener and carrier mechanism defined by claim 1, in which the air nozzle activating means comprises a stationary electrical switch and a switch contacting pad fastened to the carrier for contacting the switch during part of the carriers travel.

3. The valve sack opener and carrier mechanism defined by claim 1, in which the means on the support moving the carrier members away from each other comprises a cross rod, a paid of vertical rods, links pivotally connecting the vertical rods to the cross rod and connecting the vertical rods to the carrier members, and means for raising the cross rod to lift the vertical rods.

4. The valve sack opener and carrier mechanism defined by claim 1, in which the means on the support for moving the carrier members into flap engaging position comprises a 'cross rod, a pair of vertical rods, links pivotally connecting the vertical rods to the cross rod and Connecting the vertical rods to the carrier members, and

means for lowering the cross rod to depress the vertical rods.

5. The valve sack opener and carrier mechanism defined by claim 1, in which the carrier comprises a pair of members each consisting of two flat plates extending at angles to each other for loosely supporting a valve sack flap when in open position and for contacting the longitudinal edges of the flap when in closed position to maintain the opened valve in open position after it has been opened by the pressurized air.

6. The valve sack opener and carrier mechanism defined by claim 1, in which the air nozzle is carried by the support forwardly of the support in position to inject an air stream into the open end of a valved sack flap when in the carrier.

7. The method of opening the valve of a valve sack and carrying the sack to the spout of a filling machine which consists of the steps of first moving a carrier into sack flap supporting position, injecting a pressurized air stream into the flap and opening the valve while moving the carrier and sack forwardly, and engaging the longitudinal edges of the flap by the carrier to maintain the open valve in open position while the carrier and sack are moved to the spout of a filling machine.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,902,812 9/1959 Maxey et al 53-385 3,423,903 1/1969 Miller 53l88 3,427,780 2/1969 Bock 53385X TRAVIS S. MCGEHEE, Primary Examiner U.C. Cl. X.R. 53385 

